Study shows how space-stranded Sunita Williams can prevent cartilage damage

Jumping workouts may be key to thwart the risk of cartilage damage and boost bone strength in astronauts during long space missions, claimed an animal study on Thursday.  

The findings, although in mice, comes even as Indian-origin NASA astronaut Sunita Williams is stranded in space since June last year. Williams along with colleague Butch Willmore are stuck in space due to technical problems with Boeing`s Starliner which took them to the International Space Station (ISS).

Recent experiments by the European Space Agency (ESA) also showed evidence of cartilage degradation in astronauts who spend several months aboard the ISS. The reduced movement can lead to cartilage thinning and cellular clustering — early indicators of arthritis.

The new study, appearing in the journal npj Microgravity, showed that engaging in jumping exercises boosted knee cartilage in mice. Jump training thrice a week also led to thicker, healthier cartilage with normal cellular structure in the animals, said researchers from Johns Hopkins University, US.

Healthy cartilage is essential for pain-free movement, as it cushions joints and decreases bone friction. Notably, cartilage damage heals slowly and does not regenerate as fast as other tissue.

Prolonged periods of inactivity — as expected during space travel — can accelerate cartilage breakdown. This damage can also be accelerated by space radiation.

“Since the next step in human exploration of space is going to Mars and spending long periods of time in permanent bases on the moon, cartilage damage is a really major issue that space agencies need to address despite how very poorly understood it is,” said Marco Chiaberge, an astrophysicist at Johns Hopkins University, the Space Telescope Science Institute, and the ESA.

“The positive effect we saw in these mice is huge, and the magnitude of it was unexpected. They can basically make their cartilage thicker if they jump. Maybe astronauts could use similar training before their flight as a preventive measure,” he added.

In the study, a nine-week programme of reduced movement in mice led to a 14 per cent reduction in cartilage thickness.

However, those in the jump-training group had a 26 per cent increase compared to the control group.

In addition, the jumping mice had 110 per cent thicker cartilage than the reduced activity group. Jumping also enhanced bone strength by 15 per cent.

While more research is needed to confirm whether humans would enjoy the same benefits, the findings offer promising information to protect cartilage and bone structure, said the researchers.

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